MUMBAI, July 25: Central Railway upset last year local league champion Air-India (A-I) with a solitary goal scored by Chirag Shaikh in the 66th minute in a Gulf Lubricants WIFA Super Division League match here at the Cooperage today.This victory for the Railway team came after as many as five years. Last time they met in the local league the match ended in draw. This was the first loss for the National Football League side in the Super Division League in this season.Now Air-India have 14 points from eight matches (excluding the match against Central Bank of India) while Railway have 13 points from seven matches. They will play their last match of the first leg against the promoted side Income-Tax.Sticking to their plan, Railway held Air-India in the first-half and put the pressure on the opponents in the second-half.Air-India were playing with two wing backs in the first-half who were overlapping well. Air-India almost got the lead in the seventh minute when Surjeet Tigga missed the target byinches. The move was initiated by medio Taposh Ghosh who passed to Godfrey Periera and the former international set up Surjit Tigga in the box but his placement was off target.In the 34th minute, Tigga was replaced by Abbas Ali Rizvi and the move almost paid dividends. Rizvi dribbled past couple of defenders and crossed across the goalmouth. Godfrey dived desperately, but narrowly missed connecting the ball.Thereafter, Railway defenders did not allow the Air-India strikers any space in the area.In the second-half, Railway increased the pressure on the Air-India defence. And then came Shaikh's goal. He nodded in the open net on a rebound. Substitute Pradeep Saha played a diagonal pass to Augusto D'Silva whose grounder was saved by Yousaf Ansari. But opportunistic Shaikh calmly placed his header and put CR into lead.Air-India suffered a blow when their schemer Periera was sent off for elbowing Sadanand Kakodkar in the 77th minute. Five minutes later things were even as Railway were down to ten men.Medio Arif Ansari was shown red card for arguing with referee, Manuel Pereira.Air-India had a chance in the dying minute to equalise when Abbas find himself unmarked against one-to-one with Mark Mascarenhas, Railway goalkeeper. But his left-foot tap just missed the target.In a first division match, GMSC defeated Good Shepherd 5-0. Naresh Solanki scored three while Randal Pereira had a brace.In a second division match, Dadar XI A defeated Indian Gymkhana by a solitary goal. The winner was scored by Mohaamad Hussain.Beach Boys heldFatima Beach Boys were held 1-1 by Wonder Boys in a Second Divison match, conducted by the Mumbai District Football Association at the St Xavier's Ground, Parel today.Hemant Kadam put Wonder Boys ahead in the 23th minute. Fatima Boys got equaliser after a defensive lapse in the 55th minute when Roy Fernandes tapped in from close range.
